


The Lost Apprentice

by Ashes_Ashes



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-20
Updated: 2008-08-20
Packaged: 2018-02-13 23:00:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2168460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashes_Ashes/pseuds/Ashes_Ashes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A girl loses her memory and finds herself fleeing from pursuers, landing herself in the protection of a soldier who knows her, but she does not remember him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lost Apprentice

I ran down the street, leaping over benches and diving through the crowds of Midgar. People watched me with wide eyes and they scurried to get out of my way. My black trench coat billowed out behind me as I raced down gray streets. Three questions suddenly came to mind. Why was I running? Who was I running from? And most importantly, who am I? I slowed to a stop and turned, sliding on the wet concrete. Eight figures chased me; the one in the lead had blonde hair and a large sword. His companions all stood out, especially two that appeared to be animals. A red figure leaped onto the rooftops, his black hair swaying as he tried to chase me down from above. I took off again, wondering why I couldn’t seem to remember anything.

“Stop!” Voices yelled from behind. I didn’t listen. I felt fear, something my mind told me it wasn’t used to feeling. I splashed through a puddle, glad that I was wearing thick boots.

I turned a corner and found, to my disappointment, a dead end. Huge concrete walls loomed over me on every side. I turned to face the eight figures, drawing my sword. I was unaware I even had a sword. I gasped as the man in the red cape jumped in front of me from above. “It ends here,” he held a three-barreled gun up to my head, stopping me in my tracks. He had long black hair, a red headband and I noticed his other hand was a metallic claw.

“We won’t hurt you.” The man with spiky blonde hair seemed to be talking not only to me but also to his red-caped friend. He used a calm voice but my nerves kept me on edge. The one with the gun pointed at me glanced back briefly. In the instant he looked away a wall of fire appeared between us, throwing me back in surprise. I could hear shouts of alarm on the other side of the wall.

A tall figure dropped down out of nowhere, landing softly in front of me, though he faced away from me. He had long silver hair and an even longer sword. He wore a trench coat similar to my own. He walked through the flames casually, untouched by its heat.

I could only hear the fighting on the other side, for the flames were too bright and large to see through. I was frozen in the spot where I stood, waiting to see what would happen next. I deeply wished for a small fragment of my memory to help me understand what was happening. Nothing surfaced.

My eyes frantically searched the flames as I could hear gun shots, metal on metal, the blasts of magic and shouts. I jumped when someone burst through the flames unexpectedly. The tall man with silver hair, the one who had obviously rescued me, ran towards me. I closed my eyes and tensed my muscles as he ran straight into me. His arms wrapped around me and I could feel the wind whip against my face as he jumped into the sky. Our feet touched solid ground and I staggered as I tried to find my balance. We were on the roof of some building.

“What…” I started to say but he pulled me into a run.

“Keep up.” His voice was strong and deep. It sparked some distant memory which slipped away as we ran along the rooftops. I could hear racing footsteps behind us, though the distance between us and them was increasing. I followed this man across the roofs, through alleyways and markets, not even beginning to feel tired.

My mind retreated into itself, trying to remember my body. I could run without tiring. I could see a single grain of sand on the sidewalk in the second I ran by it. I could hear every conversation clearly as I ran by people. I could jump just as high as my brother.

Brother? I looked at the man before me. No, he wasn’t my real brother. I knew, somehow, that “brother” was more of a name but surely wasn’t his real name. Still, I could feel a strange connection with him. I bit my lip in worry. If he was that important, how did I forget him?

He leaped down into an alley and I followed not even feeling the impact as I hit the wet ground. Brother held out his arm, stopping me as he listened. I moved my hair out of my eyes, finding it was silver like Brother’s. Seconds ticked before Brother finally turned to me…angry.

“What were you thinking?!” He yelled and I flinched. His eyes were blue and feline. He shook me. I was so scared and confused. I couldn’t respond to his question. I didn’t know the answer. “Why did you do that?!” He yelled again. I stared with wide eyes as my heart raced.

“I don’t know.” I cringed, feeling panic well up inside of me. My eyes began to tear up. “I don’t know what’s happening.” Brother softened his hold on me and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He knew something. He had to know something.

“What’s wrong?” He asked more calmly this time. His grip on my shoulders loosened slightly. The anger in his eyes disappeared.

“I don’t remember.” I shook my head and choked on my words. I looked away, not wanting to meet his gaze.

“What do you mean?” I could feel the miniscule increase in pressure as his grip tightened again on my shoulders. He was bending down, trying to catch my eye. I suddenly became more frustrated than panicked.

“Everything! Anything! It’s all gone. I don’t know who you are!” I enunciated each word clear and slowly. He stepped back in alarm like he had just been slapped in the face. His movements seemed to slow considerably as he watched me with wide eyes.

“You erased your memory,” he whispered after awhile. Somehow, I knew his statement to be true. This only worried me more. Why would I erase my own memory? I asked Brother that exact question. He frowned and looked away. This time he was the one who couldn’t look me in the eye.

“Why?” I asked again. He knew. I knew that he knew.

“It’s my fault.” He admitted in a solemn voice. “I acted wrongly. It doesn’t matter anymore.” He quickly shrugged it off as he turned back to me. “What matters is that we get your memory back. Do you remember anything?” His blue eyes watched me. I shrugged.

“Not much. The eight chasing us are our enemies.” They had to be. Why else would they chase me and fight Brother? “I know that I’m supposed to know you but I only remember you as Brother.” I looked away feeling ashamed.

“It’s a start.” I caught Brother staring into space. He looked back at me with a frown. I wasn’t sure what it might have meant. “Let’s go.” I followed him for several minutes through many empty streets until we entered an abandoned warehouse.

“The blonde one,” my voice echoed in the building. “He’s our brother too, isn’t he?” It wasn’t a memory that I based my statement off of. It was more of a feeling. I felt a similar connection with him as I did with Brother. I saw Brother glance over his shoulder.

“Yes.” Brother said no more and I wondered if I should continue the subject. I bit my lip, deciding it best not to interrupt the silence.

There was a path in the warehouse that led underground into a cavern where I suddenly felt at ease. It had to be our home, for no other place could bring me such a feeling. I nearly cried, wishing I could remember something, anything that had happened within the cavern. I looked around at the limestone walls and realized that there were no lights but I could still see. Apparently I had cat eyes too.

“Get some rest.” Brother pointed at a cot that was my own. I was frightened that I could not recognize it. “We’ll discuss what to do tomorrow.” He left the cavern and I found myself alone.

Pain. I felt great pain everywhere. I felt something in my throat, choking me, drowning me. I could feel my veins wanting to burst from my skin. I felt like I was being stretched and pulled. I wanted to scream but no sound came forth. Then the pain ceased. I wanted to cry in relief. It was over. It was finally over. But I felt different. I felt abnormal. Realizing that I was no longer myself, I screamed and woke up.

Brother was there, calming me as I sobbed into his chest. His hair seemed to drape around me in a protective shell. He whispered comforting words and rocked me back and forth.

“What did they do to me?” I demanded though I knew the answer. He never let go of me.

“They changed you.” He whispered. “Made you who you are now. They used you as a weapon, as they did me.” I hugged my legs and forced my breathing to regulate.

“I remember.” I whispered and he pulled away from me. “Not everything,” I looked up at him. “Just little things. I remember your name,” I smiled. “Sephiroth,” I muttered under my breath. “I remember…Mother,” my voice faltered and I quickly changed subject.

“I remember…” I laughed a bit to myself. “I remember burning dinner two nights ago. I was preoccupied but I don’t remember what I was preoccupied with.” I bit my lip in confusion. I looked up in alarm as Sephiroth coughed with a smile. “You know, don’t you?” I laughed and stared at him. “What was it? Please tell me.” I begged. Sephiroth shook his head and smiled. It was something I remembered I loved to see for it was a rare occurrence. I pouted when I realized he wasn’t going to say anything.

“Maybe another day,” he smiled and ruffled my short silver hair. I rolled my eyes. “Anything else?” He asked before I could argue with him. I closed my eyes.

“I remember what I can do. I remember how to fight and use magic.” My eyes traveled to my short sword at the foot of my bed. “But that’s about it. I have no personal memories or any memories of training with you though I do know you are my mentor.” I pointed out. He silently nodded as he mused over everything I had told him. My heart stopped when I saw his eyes widen, as if he had just learned something.

“Come with me.” His voice was monotone which had me worried.

“What’s wrong?” I asked but he wouldn’t respond. He wouldn’t even look at me. I stood and followed Sephiroth out of the cavern and deeper into the cave system.

It was a very, very long time before I noticed the tunnel starting to slope upward. Soon I could see daylight ahead. The cave opened onto a small ridge and from it I could see Midgar, the large building in the center sticking up high into the sky. It looked gray, dead and very uninviting.

“Shinra Corporation.” I heard Sephiroth behind me. His voice was quiet, a different tone than the one I had heard just minutes ago as we laughed and joked. “They made you. I found it fitting that it was the last thing you saw.”

Before I could respond I felt a numbing jerk ripple through my chest. Looking down I saw the tip of his sword, wet with the blood of my heart. He pulled it out and I fell to my knees. I tried to speak. No words came. Blood filled my mouth. Then I collapsed to the ground, feeling pain but not pain from my fatal wound.

I didn’t say a word as I turned onto my back and looked up at Sephiroth. Instead, I tried to convey my feelings through my eyes. Hurt, confusion, pain, sorrow. How can you put so many emotions into one look? Sephiroth kneeled, placing a hand on my head.

“It was Mother’s wish.” I watched a drop of light fall from his eye. Then he turned, walked away and let me die.


End file.
